cardwell



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. A. OARDWELL.

(No Model.)

OR MARINE GLASS.

, FIELD,

OPERA Patented Nov. 13, 1888.

N. PETERS. PhohrUlhogmbMr, Wiihinglnn. D. C.

UNITED STATES I WILLIAM A. CARDWELL, OF THE MOAT CROFT, EASTBOURNE, COUNTY OF I SUSSEX, ENGLAND.

OPERA, FIELD, OR MARINE GLASS.

.SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent Bio 392,851, dated November 13, 1888.

Application filed June 13, 1888.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, W'ILLIAM ALEXANDER OARDWELL, lieutenantcolonel of volunteer artillery, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at The Moat Croft, Eastbourne, in the county of Sussex, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Opera, Field, or Marine Glasses; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to improvements upon an invention for which I have obtained United States Letters Patent, dated June 5, 1888, No. 384,122. For this purpose, and as described in the specification of the aforesaid patent, I employ a frame-work of any suitable material provided with a rigid top and bottom and flexible or folding sides. Instead, however, of hinging both of the ends carrying the lenses to the top or bottom, or to parts carried thereby, as described in my said specification, I, according to my present invention, hinge only the front end to the top or bottom, so that it will be capable of folding thereon, and I make the rear end a fixture, but hinge it to allow of the instrument being compressed, and I cause it to carry the back lenses, which are of small diameter and are fitted into eye-pieces in the usual manner. These back lenses are capable of receiving motion through a milled wheel and connections in the usual manner in order to adjust the instrument to the required focus.

When the instrument is in use, the front end thereof is placed in a vertical position, and there held by anysuitable means, and thus expands and retains the instrument in proper form; but when out of use the front end will be folded down upon the top or bottom of the frame,when theinstrument may be compressed and caused to assume a convenient form for carrying in the pocket.

If desired, hinged or other shutters or covers may be employed to close the front and rear of the instrument when in its folded condition.

By means of my present invention I simplifythe construction of the instrument, re-

duce the weight thereof, and render it easier of manipulation.

Serial No. 276,901. (No model.)

In order that the said invention may be more clearly understood and readily carried into effect, I will proceed, aided by the accompanying drawings, more fully to describe the same.

In the drawings, Figure l is a longitudinal section, taken on the line A B of Fig. 2, of an opera, marine, or field glass constructed according to my invention, showing the instru- 5o ment expanded ready for use. Fig. 2 is a rear end View, partly broken away; and Fig. 3'is a plan thereof,.thc top being removed in order more clearly to show some of the parts. Fig. 4. is a longitudinal section showing the instrument as it would appear when folded and out of use, and Fig. 5 is aplan thereof. Fig.

6 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 7 is an end view showing a portion of the top of the instrument and its descending flange. Figs. 8 and 9 are similar views of the bottom of the instrument. Fig. 10 is a longitudinal section showing separately the means for adjusting the eye-pieces to the required focus, and Fig. 11 is a rear end View thereof.

In all the figures like parts are indicated by similar letters of reference.

a represents the rigid top of the instrument, which is composed of metal or other suitable material, and is formed with descending flanges or sides a, and b represents the bottom of the instrument, which is composed of similar material, and is formed with rising flanges or sides b, which are so arranged as to pass between the flanges a of the top a; when the in- 8 5 strument is folded and out of use.

When the instrument is expanded for use, the sides thereof are formed partly by the flanges a and b and partly by a triangularshaped piece of flexible material, 12*, which is 0 attached by its lower edge to the bottom b or to the flange b, and by its vertical edge to the frame d, in order to close the space formed by the angular position of the flanges a and b when the instrument is expanded, or the flexi- 5 ble material may be otherwise arranged. The upper flanges or sides, a, are formed with curved slots to therein, and the lower sides or flanges, b, are provided with corresponding studs, 2), thereon, which take into the slots a rco and thus limit the extent to which the top a and bottom I) may be opened or forced apart,

or other suitable means may be employed for this purpose.

The rear end, 0, of the instrument which carries the lenses is connected to both the top a and bottom I) by means of hinges c in order to allow of the. top and bottom being comspring-lever, c, a descending flange, a, upon the top a acting as a stop to arrest the frame (1 when it has arrived in its proper vertical position, or the spring-lever might be dispensed with and the frame 11 might be raised into its vertical position by means of a cord or chain attached thereto. The rear lenses, 0*, are mounted in tubes or fittings c", and such tubes 0 are mounted with capability of sliding in bearings or collars 0, carried by aframe, c, and are connected together by means of a bar, a, in a similar manner to an ordinary opera or field glass.

The required adjustment of the lenses 0* for focusing is obtained in the customary way by means of a worm or screw, 0 which is at one end thereof rigidly connected to the bar 0 the other end being supported by a bearing, 0 fixed to the frame a. A milled wheel, 0, is mounted on the worm 0 between the bearing 0 and the frame 0, with capability of being turned on the worm c, and the periphery of which wheel passes through a slot in the bot tom '0 of the instrument, affording the means for giving the required to-and-l'ro cndwise mo tion to the worm or screw 0".

The front of the instrument furnished with a cap or cover, 9, formed with a flange, y", to act in connection with a catch, b", on the bottom 1) to close that end of the instrument when folded or compressed and so retain it, and this cap or cover 9 is connected with the top 0 of the instrument by means of a spring-hinge, g, in such manner that when open such cap or cover is thrown back out of the way and there retained. The rear of the instrument is similarly provided with a cap or cover, h, which is formed with a flange, h, to act in connection with a catch, b upon the bottom I),- but in this case the spring-hinge h, which connects the cap or cover h with the top a, is preferably constructed in such manner that the cap or cover, when released from the catch If, will be thrown back flat upon the top a, and there retained while the instrument isin use. In order to effect this object, I preferably connect the cover h with the top a by means of a kind of double spring-hinge, as represented in the drawings, one pin, h", of such hinge being car-' ried by leaves It, connected to the top a, and the other pin, 7L5, being carried by leaves h,

connected to the cover h, the two pins being coupled or connected together at each end and at the center thereof by links h Springs IL", coiled around the pins h and h of the hinge h", exert a constant tendency to throw the cover h back upon the top a,- or the caps or covers 9 and It might, if desired, be connected to the instrument by ordinary hinges,in which case they would require to be turned back by hand.

The instrument is furnished with metal loops i,by means of which it may be connected with a shoulder-strap for the purpose of easy carriage.

Although in the drawings I have represented the bottom of the instrument as carrying the operating parts,it will be evident that such arrangement may,if desired,be reversed, and the top may be caused to carry such parts, and I would also have it understood that in lieu of employing the flanges a and b, for forming the folding sides of the instrument, I may, if desired, employ flexible material for that purpose.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what Iclaim is-- 1. An opera,field,or marine glass having a rigid end, 0, top and bottom hinged thereto, and an eud,d,hinged at one edge only,whereby theinstrument may be folded, as explained.

2. In an opera, field, or marine glass, the combination, witharigid top and bottom, of a hinged end, a, and an end, d, hinged to either the top or bottom, said top and bottom carrying folding sides, as explained.

3. In an opera, field, or marine glass, the combination, with the rigid top and bottom, and ends hinged to the same or either of them, of the overlapping sides a I), carrying corre sponding engaging-lugs, and slots (6 I)", as and for the purpose explained.

I. In an opera, field, or marine glass, the combination, with the top, bottom, ends, and sides, all arranged to fold substantially as described and shown, of the hinged caps g h and catches b bfifor holding their freeends,whereby they clasp the instrument in folded position and protect its lenses, as explained.

5. An opera, field, or marine glass formed with rigid top and bottom a and b, folding sides a 1/, arranged to open out only a certain distance, hinged frame 0, carrying the lenses 0*, and frame d, carrying the lenses d such hinged frame d being capable of folding when the instrument is closed or compressed and of being turned into a vertical position until arrested by the stop a, all in manner sub stantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose stated.

6. An opera, field, or marine glass formed with rigid top and bottom a and b, folding sides a 1), arranged to open out only a certain distance, hinged frame 0, carrying the lenses 0*, which are mounted in tubes or fittings c, sliding in bearings 0 and receive adjustment by means of a worm or screw, 0, and milled wheel 0 and frame d, hinged to the bottom I), and carrying the lenses (1*, which frame at is capable of folding upon the bottom when the instrument is closed or compressed,but is normally forced intoa vertical position by means of a spring arm or lever, e, or other suitable spring until arrested by the stop a all in manner substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose stated.

7. An opera, field, or marine glass constructed as herein described and shown, and formed with caps or covers gand h, connected to the top a by means of spring-0r other suitable hinges,

so that they will lie back out of the way when the instrument is in use, and will fold down over the ends when the instrument is closed W. A. GARDWELL.

Witnesses:

B. J. B. MILLs, O. M. WHITE, Both of 23 Southmnpton Buildings, London, Eng- 7 land. 

